In a message dated 96-06-26 00:45:32 EDT, you write:
>I currently run a monthly VE session sponsored by the ARRL (been doing it
>for two years). I encourage folks at my sessions to upgrade, offer
>assistance, code tapes books and now I encourage them to join the league. I
>am currently President of the Southeastern DX Club and encourage amateurs to
>join and become involved. I invite people to my home to show them the joy
>of intercontinental QSOs. I've given away books and tapes to those who seem
>interested. In short, I don't need your challenge. I'm already giving
>everything that I have time for, and more. You may not agree with me, but
>don't do me the injustice you've inferred.
>
Hi, Steve --
Congratulations for your involvement in the hobby. Our perspectives
are from different ends of the hobby. You are in the
hobbiest/consumer/training/VEC end and my perspective is from the retail
business/manufacturer marketplace end. My amateur experience includes
working at a ham radio retailer for several years, a stint as National Sales
Manager Amateur Products for Hy-Gain and running my own amateur retail
business. I am on a first name basis with many of the business owners,
managers and advertisers that provide the goods and services for our hobby.
They are the ones that have provided the insight that I have mentioned in my
posts. The fact is that business is down almost universally across the
amateur retail market.
Every organization needs to grow in order to keep up with increased
costs, taxes, etc. whether you are a business or a family economic unit. My
point is that without this growth in the market and peripherally in ARRL
membership, we won't have the economic resources to do all the things we want
to do, let alone stay in business. With the current recession in the amateur
marketplace, the viability of amateur dealers, manufacturers and the defense
of our hobby in general is jeopardized.
Let's all work together to help out. You at your end, me at mine and
we'll all continue buying stuff. With the help of increased sunspots and
propagation, maybe we'll all get past the current doldrums and everyone will
be much happier. I hope so.
73, Steve K7LXC
>From k7fd@teleport.com (John Nicholson) Wed Jun 26 17:21:43 1996
From: k7fd@teleport.com (John Nicholson) (John Nicholson)
Subject: No code and new hams
Message-ID: <199606261621.JAA07332@desiree.teleport.com>
>To: ni6t@scruznet.com (Garry Shapiro)
>From: k7fd@teleport.com (John Nicholson)
>Subject: Re: No code and new hams
>
>>K7LXC@aol.com wrote:
>>>
>>> In a message dated 96-06-24 11:54:33 EDT, you write:
>>>
>
>>>
>>> I'm not particularly hung up on WHO the new ham is or what he/she is
>>> interested in. As long as they are part of the amateur community, I welcome
>>> them. This talk about dilution of the amateur ranks to me smacks of elitism
>>> and "we've always done it this way" thinking. What we've done in the past
>>> isn't necessarily going to work now or in the future. Nor is it going to
>>> save our hobby from decline.
>
>
>NI6T responded with:
>
>>You and Charlie are on the right track, but you must care what the new ham
is interested in, and
>>take a role in exposing him/her to aspects otherwise too easily blown off.
>>
>>The bad news is that we won't ever reach all the no-code people. We live
in a culture and time
>>where too many expect instant gratification--mastery of new skills
requires commitment and hard....... etc, etc
>
>>
>>Does that mean that my/our passion for CW should be "forced" upon new hams
who have no intention
>>to share this interest, by continuing the CW requirements in the licensing
structure? Sure, why
>>not! Here are some reasons:
>>
>
>> * So 13 wpm is "hard"? Perhaps it is, but what is the value of obtaining
something that
>>is "easy"? CB fills that bill! Are we renting a video or are we mastering
a new skill? Must we
>>always cater to the slothful and unmotivated? And when was the last time
there was a real code
>>test given? The current multiple-choice test arguably is not a code test,
but a test about the
>>code....etc, etc.
>>
>
> Well said Gary! It's hard to speak the truth nowadays without
> getting your butt in a bind. Glad to see some of us still have
> some guts.
>
> Now about that attitude adjustment and diversity training
> we have scheduled for you this summer... :)
>
> John K7FD
>
>From slay@netcom.com (Sandy Lynch) Wed Jun 26 17:25:33 1996
From: slay@netcom.com (Sandy Lynch) (Sandy Lynch)
Subject: JA code/no code
Message-ID: <199606261625.JAA18633@netcom.netcom.com>
RE: Japan's experience with codeless licenses:
> >Let's state some facts:
> >2) Despite the "knowledge of Morse Code" requirement, at least one
> >country -- Japan -- has long allowed amateurs who have not
> >demonstrated such knowledge access to the HF bands.
All true .... in fact, the percentage of those 1.3 MILLION 'operator'
license holders that have ANY code is around 8 percent. "Operator"
licenses are issued for LIFE .... but "Station" licenses are issued
for only 5 years. The number of station licenses in Japan is approx.
50 percent of the total number of operator licenses. Although it
remains relatively easy to obtain an operator license .... it also
appears likely that many quickly lose interest and give up. It is
very much an "easy come, easy go" situation, IMHO.
>
> This despite a no-code entry license. Why? Isn't it true that CW knowledge
> is required to move up from the QRP level in Japan? Here the CW plum is HF,
> over there its mo' power. While I don't know if it is the intended result,
> CW knowledge is still a filter to separate the passing fancy from the
> dedicated interest, even in Japan. Also, the score fattening JA QRPers have
> been on a diet - you just can't run them like you used to. Maybe the grand
> codeless HF experiment isn't so grand after all.
This is very well put ... YES ...CW is required to move up. In fact, it
now appears that one route to the FIRST CLASS license (and its 500w limit)
is to pass the US EXTRA class license. Holders of this FCC license can
then be upgraded to First Class without taking a test. There are frequent
VE examinations held in Japan (with the ostensible purpose of testing only
those who actually plan to go to the USA to operate).
> Of course, the USA has had
> a codeless non-licensed HF quagmire for years - 11 meter CB, a real radio
> ghetto, which has unfortunately spread through much of the world.
For a good time ... you should try 2m FM in Japan some time ... it is a
real Eye Opener! ;-( However, I have nothing but great admiration for
the JA HF ops ... all of them .... code or no code.
Cheers
Sandy Wa6BXH/7J1ABV
slay@netcom.com
>From k7fd@teleport.com (John Nicholson) Wed Jun 26 17:42:27 1996
From: k7fd@teleport.com (John Nicholson) (John Nicholson)
Subject: The CW Requirement, ITU and IARU
Message-ID: <199606261642.JAA18971@desiree.teleport.com>
>At 08:27 AM 6/26/96 -0400, Fred Laun, K3ZO wrote:
>
>>Let's state some facts:
>>
>
>>2) Despite the "knowledge of Morse Code" requirement, at least one
>>country -- Japan -- has long allowed amateurs who have not
>>demonstrated such knowledge access to the HF bands. Specifically,
>>amateurs there who have passed only an examination on general
>>knowledge of theory and regulations have been permitted to operate
>>on the 40, 15 and 10 meter bands, phone only, with 10 watts of
>>power (soon to be raised to 20 watts). These stations have helped
>>fatten our phone contest scores for years.
>
>
>Yes, but I have worked both JA and US pileups on 6 meters and the Japanese
>VHFers are far superior than their US counterparts when it comes to CW.
>This despite a no-code entry license. Why? Isn't it true that CW knowledge
>is required to move up from the QRP level in Japan? Here the CW plum is HF,
>over there its mo' power. While I don't know if it is the intended result,
>CW knowledge is still a filter to separate the passing fancy from the
>dedicated interest, even in Japan. Also, the score fattening JA QRPers have
>been on a diet - you just can't run them like you used to. Maybe the grand
>codeless HF experiment isn't so grand after all. Of course, the USA has had
>a codeless non-licensed HF quagmire for years - 11 meter CB, a real radio
>ghetto, which has unfortunately spread through much of the world. I think
>that is a much better example of what relaxing standards will yield. Let's
>face it, some third-world Obi-wan is not going to hook up a reverb and a
>laughbox to his rig and park it on 14195 - they will do it here, however,
>(and in some other countries) with worldwide implications.
>
>To keep the trash out of your radio, you should have good filtering as early
>in the signal chain as possible.
>
> Dan KL7Y
Dan the Man! On the money, big guy! Give me five!
K7FD John
>From 71111.260@CompuServe.COM (Hans Brakob) Wed Jun 26 18:01:24 1996
From: 71111.260@CompuServe.COM (Hans Brakob) (Hans Brakob)
Subject: KH6IJ Call re-assigned
Message-ID: <960626170123_71111.260_EHM105-1@CompuServe.COM>
Snooping around, I found:
New Old Name QTH
Call Call
------ ------ -------------------- --------------
KH6IJ WH6CUJ MCKENNEY, FRANCES A HONOLULU, HI
73, de Hans, K0HB
>From aa4lr@radio.org (Bill Coleman AA4LR) Wed Jun 26 20:10:59 1996
From: aa4lr@radio.org (Bill Coleman AA4LR) (Bill Coleman AA4LR)
Subject: FRAUDULENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATION
Message-ID: <v01540b02adf73af01df6@[198.242.115.141]>
>The first medical exemption certificate I was ever presented with as a VE
>was from a "good ole boy" in Georgia who claimed exemption from the 13 wpm
>CW requirement on the grounds of his colostomy!
I remember thinking that this fellow might have trouble sitting through an
entire test. However, he did just fine sitting for 45 minutes whilst we VEs
worked our way through his paperwork....
Bill Coleman, AA4LR, AA96LR Mail: aa4lr@radio.org
Quote: "Not in a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901
>From rdidonna@tacarlson.com (Rich DiDonna) Wed Jun 26 19:07:30 1996
From: rdidonna@tacarlson.com (Rich DiDonna) (Rich DiDonna)
Subject: W6UQF, sk
Message-ID: <01BB6368.D29D66A0@dell_p90.tacarlson.com>
I read with great sorrow Glen Rattman's report that a good friend and
competitor, Chas W6UQF, had passed away.
>From the earliest days when I joined the San Diego DX Club at the age of 15,
I can remember Chas as always being warm, friendly, jolly and insightful.
It is amazing to see how such a laid back and casual man could have been
such a serious and formidable contester when it came to "zero hour" in
whatever contest it may have been - SS, Sprint, CQP, IARU, etc.
Chas has always been a role model of how one can, with the right skills, be
a serious contester without the need for large stacks and multiple beverages.
He will be dearly missed. . .
Rich KI6ZH/4
>From AssaraR@utrc.utc.com (Assarabowski, Richard) Wed Jun 26 19:35:00 1996
From: AssaraR@utrc.utc.com (Assarabowski, Richard) (Assarabowski, Richard)
Subject: Call reassignment - W1TS
Message-ID: <31D18280@msgate.res.utc.com>
One of the CW field day ops wore the call badge of W1TS -- anyone remember
Don Mix as a
daily regular on 20m CW??
>From mats.persson@mbox2.swipnet.se (SM7PKK) Wed Jun 26 19:46:32 1996
From: mats.persson@mbox2.swipnet.se (SM7PKK) (SM7PKK)
Subject: The CW Requirement, ITU and IARU
Message-ID: <2.2.32.19960626184632.006e4fd4@mailbox.swip.net>
At 08.27 1996-06-26 -0400, Fred wrote:
>I have been somewhat surprised by the parochial nature of the
>discussion of the "shall we continue to to require CW?" argument on
>here, as though the United States were the only country in the
>world. The IARU FASC document is a "first cut" by the FASC to make
>a blueprint so that at WRC-99 amateur radio, as we know it, can be
>preserved worldwide. The FASC has asked for, and sincerely wants,
>your comments. Its document is simply the most efficient way it
>feels that there is to "get the ball rolling." Most people will
>comment in a more focused way if they have a reference document to
>comment about.=20
>=20
>Let's state some facts:
>=20
>1) When -- and if -- the ITU decides in 1997 to drop RR 2735 from
>its regulations, this action will PERMIT, but will NOT REQUIRE, the
>FCC to allow amateurs who have not "demonstrated knowledge of the
>Morse Code" to operate on bands below 30 MHz. In order to effect
>such a major change in U.S. regulations, the FCC, under the
>Administrative Procedures Act, would be required to issue a Notice
>of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and allow a reasonable period for
>public comments and petitions for reconsideration. As far as I
>have been able to observe, the FCC has always taken this
>responsibility very seriously, and has always incorporated elements
>of the comments and petitions from the public in its final
>regulations resulting from NPRM's. The most recent example has
>been the way the FCC handled the Vanity Callsign matter. The
>beginning date of the program was held up for more than a year
>while the Commission considered several petitions for
>reconsideration, and incorporated elements of some, in its final
>regulations.
Well if this already had been accepted I know that in Sweden Ham radio as=20
we know it would already have seased to exist. All government agencies are
not as understanding of the problems as FCC is. In Sweden Ham radio license
is just a big pain for them and they would be happy if there where no tests
and they could just issue the license and get their money for the
transmitting permissions. That=B4s what they are aiming for. It is totally=
up
to the ITU regualtions and CEPT regulations that has saved our hobby in our
country!
The ham bands are an international resource and needs international
regulations. Without them
or having them to slack will give all nations an opportunity to lower all
demands to non existant
as all governments in the end will try to minimise all costs and thus ham
radio is a small and=20
unimportant issue for them that should require nothing for them to do!
>=20
>2) Despite the "knowledge of Morse Code" requirement, at least one
>country -- Japan -- has long allowed amateurs who have not
>demonstrated such knowledge access to the HF bands. Specifically,
>amateurs there who have passed only an examination on general
>knowledge of theory and regulations have been permitted to operate
>on the 40, 15 and 10 meter bands, phone only, with 10 watts of
>power (soon to be raised to 20 watts). These stations have helped
>fatten our phone contest scores for years. When Japanese
>authorities were asked about this, they said they were strictly
>following ITU regulations, which allow anyone to operate on any
>frequency "AS LONG AS NO COMPLAINTS OF HARMFUL INTERFERENCE ARE
>RECEIVED." And none were.
>=20
Well What I have heard from several JA=B4s is that for example 40M SSB
is almost dead in Japan for DX since the whole band is crowded with Lowpower
JA=B4s=20
chatting within JA day aswell as night time. What a disaster!
>3) Since RR 2735 does NOT require that any particular speed be
>demonstrated in the Morse Code examinations, countries have enjoyed
>a wide latitude as to how to satisfy themselves as to the Morse
>Code knowledge of their applicants for HF licenses. When I lived
>in Colombia and operated with the HK3A multi-single group, I
>noticed that one of the operators, Batty, HK3AXT -- a YL -- who is
>one of the finest phone contest operators I have ever had the
>privilege of operating with, never operated the CW contests. I
>asked her why. She said that her Morse Code examination was like
>this: Examiner: "What is Morse Code for the letter 'A'?" Batty:
>"Dit dah." Examiner: "Congratulations, you passed!" Yes, folks,
>this is completely in accordance with the ITU regulations AS THEY
>EXIST RIGHT NOW. Why do you think there are so many more Latin
>American stations in phone contests than CW contests? (I hasten to
>add that in CE, CX, LU and PY, at least, the examinations are a lot
>more like ours).
>=20
The above mentioned case only show how an ignorant government or examiner
can misstreat the rules and ideas of Ham radio. In some countries you can=
=20
even bribe people to get a license without taking any tests as long as you
pay good money. The medicine to cure this is not to lower our standards to=
=20
nothing but to rather try to help the government issue real tests and rules!
If their CW test is that bad I in HK wonder how their techinical and safety
tests are?
"What do you do with the PTT?" answer " press it to transmit?" OK you pass!?
How about the test being a 100$ bill to the examiner on the side?
>Now suppose you are an IARU official looking ahead to WRC-99, and
>you realize that there are some 30 to 35 African countries, each
>with a vote equal to that of the United States, which have no
>citizens who are hams. For people in these countries, ham radio is
>something the foreigners do for their own particular type of
>amusement. You also know that in the few African countries where
>there are a fair number of citizens who are hams, and where ham
>radio therefore has a local constituency which can bring pressure
>on its countries' ITU delegates, it is generally because a key
>person in that country was drawn into amateur radio by a particular
>happenstance or action. For example, you know that in Ghana, Kofi
>Jackson has long been a Senior Advisor on Telecommunications to the
>government. You also know that Kofi is 9G1AJ and a strong
>supporter of amateur radio only because W4ACN, when he ran a State
>Department radio repair facility for West Africa which happened to
>be located in Ghana, took some gear to Kofi's house, erected a 60-
>foot tower in Kofi's back yard, put a tribander on it, and said:
>"Congratulations, Kofi, you are now a ham. Issue yourself a
>license!" Did Kofi take a CW exam? You've gotta be kidding. Is
>Ghana's vote in favor of amateur radio "in the bag" because of
>Kofi? You bet! Would he enjoy ham radio if he were limited to VHF
>and above? Who would he be QSO'ing, pray tell?
>=20
Well this is quite ok but there are many hams or could be hams in Africa=20
who are not so well of and the facts still is that CW is the Only mode that
can overcome the barriers of language difference.
I think it is an important part or the IARU to work for getting ham radio
introduced=20
in a proper way. I think W4ACN in this case was doing ham radio a=
bear-favor.
Ofcourse we can work Kofi and he might even be a good ham but What if he
suddenly desides=20
other people in 9G should be licensed the same way and nobody knows CW and
h"#=A4%=20
they might not even know english or any other international language and end
up chatting=20
among themselves all over the hambands with a KW or two and big beams since=
the=20
terrain of the country makes short skip difficult ??? We don=B4t need this.
Look instead at ZA1A. Why not do it the proper way. 10 or so hams in 6 weeks
in a country that was a real black hole. This was a new thing by why not do
it again. It is possible!
>You know that, with WRC-99 three years away, you need to find a few
>more Kofis around Africa in order to get some votes lined up in
>amateur radio's favor. Are these busy people going to take the
>time to learn CW for something they barely know about the benefits
>of right now? Is RR 2735 a help or a hindrance to amateur radio's
>cause in this respect? Meanwhile you know authoritarian
>governments use regulations such as RR 2735 deliberately as an
>excuse to keep local ham populations down. You know that in the
>age of the spectrum auction, revenue strapped governments in the
>"third world" are being visited daily by representatives of various=20
>telecommunications firms offering pots of money for certain slices
>of the spectrum. You thank your lucky stars that things aren't
>worse only because major players such as Ericsson, Nokia and
>Motorola have senior executives who are active hams and look out
>for ham radio's interests when they can. =20
>=20
Well the Kofi=B4s might not learn CW at first but there is a big=
responsability=20
within IARU to help those new countries in to the HAM radio in a good way.
I am quite sure there are people who like the ZA1A-team would like to help
out on spot to=20
make ham radio official in some of these countries.
A big responsability is for IARU to actively work to look into and help
educate these third world countries about what ham radio is. This has
nothing to do with CW or not. If they don=B4t know the basics about us hams
why should they care at all!
>Wake up, folks! What good is CW to you if you don't have any bands
>you can use it on? Let's cut the ARRL and IARU a little slack so
>they can maneuver in this complicated world without having the
>house dogs nipping at their heels.
>=20
Well Fred I don=B4t agree with this view. If having the bands but withit
having all the CB'ers=20
of the world included might no be having anything at all. The QRG will not
last for this!
OK about giving ARRL and IARU some slack but I think it is important to let
them know that we care and not only letting the NON CW, NON TEST AT ALL
people spilling their guts allover our hobby. If they can do this for too
long then ofcourse the governments will listen to them more than the people
who are the basis of ham radio.
Reactions to the FASC paper was what the IARU wanted! If not enough people
with deep roots in the hobby speak up the new breed of hams (Internet by
radio??!!) will take over and thus we end up=20
with internet links via radio over all our bands (with the radio neatly
tucked away inside the computer with no keyer - no mike attached. Just take
a look at some of the American ham magazines
how neat some pictures are with the computer in the center and the radio
hidden away. THIS IS A THREAT to our hobby not something good! We need to
realise that!
Thanks for giving out some ideas Fred. I don=B4t agree with them but it gave
me something to respond to. I do feel that the IARU should loke more closely
in to the recommendations made by the IARU CW Adhoc Comittee. What they say
in there is very important
73 de Mats SM7PKK =20
=20
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
SM7PKK E-mail: mats.persson@mbox2.swipnet.se
Mats Persson
Zenithgatan 24 # 5 DON=B4T USE CALLBOOK ADRESS IT=B4S WRONG!
S-212 14 Malmoe
Sweden CW !!
P.S My logs are open forever.. ever.. ever..
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>From jfunk@adams.net (jim funk) Wed Jun 26 20:09:15 1996
From: jfunk@adams.net (jim funk) (jim funk)
Subject: FD expectations
Message-ID: <9606261909.AA10825@golden.adams.net>
Hello All,
Thought I'd share a couple of observations from W9AWE's FD effort.
While we spend quite a bit of time each year prior to FD in making
sure we have all the equipment lined up, the site secured, the operators
scheduled and the food procured, one topic never seems to receive enough
attention. Just what is our group trying to accomplish? I don't want to
spend so much time on goal-setting that we diminish the "fun" associated
with the event; but like any other undertaking, a club's FD effort will fall
short if we don't know ahead of time just what we're wanting the "bottom
line" to be.
Is public exposure a goal? Be sure the media are contacted and that
spokespersons are prepared. Don't locate where the public needs a map and
special permission to find the site. Do we want every available bonus?
Assign someone to cover each one and someone else to help. Every club
probably has VHF, QRP, natural power, satellite and packet people who will
come out to FD for an hour or two if they think their contribution is needed
and will be appreciated. Do we want to Elmer as many new ops as possible?
Line up those interested (even casually) ahead of time, schedule them on a
rig, assign an experienced
FD'er to each one and help them through their mistakes. Is total score the
goal? Be sure everyone involved knows ahead of time the importance of
keeping all stations going ALL THE TIME and that CW contacts are worth twice
SSB. Are there those who want to just show up and play radio? As long as
everyone agrees ahead of time that this is peachy, let 'em go at it.
My point is this: If we don't discuss these things ahead of time,
there are going to be misunderstandings at the site and there will be few
happy campers at 1800Z on Sunday.
Now that the smoke has cleared, I'd be interested in knowing how
other clubs have handled these sorts of issues prior to FD weekend.
Thanks and 73, Jim N9JF
Jim Funk - Amateur Radio N9JF
Where the 160 antennas have Jersey "Cownterpoises"
"Cowpies happen. What you do with them determines whether you have a
renewable resource or an environmental hazard." -- Cownfucious
>From skeltt@mmsmtp2.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Skelton, Tom) Thu Jun 27 00:05:00 1996
From: skeltt@mmsmtp2.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Skelton, Tom) (Skelton, Tom)
Subject: Packetcluster software?
Message-ID: <31D1C1D9@mmsmtp2.columbiasc.ncr.com>
We are trying to re-start a packetcluster node here, and I was
wondering how / from whom / etc to buy packetcluster software?
I heard that AK1A has passed the baton, but facts would be
appreciated.
thanks
73, Tom WB4iUX
Tom.Skelton@ColumbiaSC.ATTGIS.COM
|